Shloka 1

धर्मद्वारबहुत्वविमर्शः — Reflection on the Many ‘Doors’ of Dharma (Śānti-parva 342)

Devanagari script

अपन का छा | अप्-७#रात जा - पशुवधसे यहाँ क्या अभिप्राय है

Transliteration

janamejaya uvāca | astauṣīd yair imaṃ vyāsaḥ saśiṣyo madhusūdanam | nāmabhir vividhais teṣāṃ nirukte bhagavan mama |

Translation

ଜନମେଜୟ କହିଲେ—ଭଗବନ୍! ଶିଷ୍ୟମାନଙ୍କ ସହିତ ମହର୍ଷି ବ୍ୟାସ ଯେ ନାନା ପ୍ରକାର ନାମଦ୍ୱାରା ମଧୁସୂଦନଙ୍କୁ ସ୍ତୁତି କରିଥିଲେ, ସେହି ନାମମାନଙ୍କର ନିରୁକ୍ତି (ବ୍ୟୁତ୍ପତ୍ତି ଓ ଅଭିପ୍ରାୟ) ମୋତେ କୃପାକରି କହନ୍ତୁ। ମୁଁ ପ୍ରଜାପତିମାନଙ୍କ ପତି ଭଗବାନ୍ ଶ୍ରୀହରିଙ୍କ ନାମମାନଙ୍କର ବ୍ୟାଖ୍ୟା ଶୁଣିବାକୁ ଇଚ୍ଛା କରୁଛି; କାରଣ ସେଗୁଡ଼ିକ ଶୁଣିଲେ ମୁଁ ଶରତ୍ଚନ୍ଦ୍ର ପରି ନିର୍ମଳ ଓ ପବିତ୍ର ହେବି।

Word by Word

• जनमेजयः: Janamejaya
• जनमेजयः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनमेजय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular

• अस्तौषीत्: praised, extolled
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्तु (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd, Singular

• यैः: by which (names)
• यैः: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• इमम्: this (one)
• इमम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• व्यासः: Vyasa
• व्यासः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सशिष्यः: together with (his) disciples
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मधुसूदनम्: Madhusudana (Krishna)
• मधुसूदनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: मधुसूदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• नामभिः: by names
• नामभिः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• विविधैः: various, diverse
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• एषाम्: of these (names)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• निरुक्ते: in the etymological explanation/derivation
• निरुक्ते: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरुक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; नि-उच्/वच् + क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• भगवन्: O Lord
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• मम: to me / of me
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive, Singular

Speaker

जनमेजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Janamejaya
• Vyāsa
• disciples of Vyāsa
• Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa/Hari)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse foregrounds the ethical and devotional idea that sacred names are not mere labels: their meanings (nirukta) reveal divine qualities, and attentive hearing of such meanings is presented as a means of inner purification.

What is happening in the narrative?

King Janamejaya asks the teacher to explain the derivations and significance of the many epithets used by Vyāsa (with his disciples) in praising Madhusūdana (Kṛṣṇa/Hari), expressing a desire to become purified by hearing those explanations.